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In the late 90's my buddy Bryan Phelps and I caught wind of an annual charity event in Champaign-Urbana that featured local bands masquerading for one night only.  We had heard tales of Hum covering Led Zepplin, Braid as REM - we knew this was something special.  We drove in from out of town, paid our cover and pressed up against the stage just in time to see former local Jenny Choi and her band as The Muppets - in full costume.  "Movin' Right Along", "Rainbow Connection", "The Muppet Theme" - it was phenomenal.  Later that night we saw Castor covering Nirvana, Absinthe Blind covering Michael Jackson and The Poster Children doing U2.

Fast forward to 2001 - I was a recent Champaign-Urbana transplant with my very own band, Lorenzo Goetz.  We received an invitation to play that year.  I was thrilled.  After much discussion, we decided on John Cougar Mellencamp.  Now, I don't even own any JCM records, but thinking back to riding around with my brother listening to Uh-Huh or any number of Indiana high school dances made me nostalgic for those tunes.  It worked like a charm, we opened the show that year and had the capacity crowd singing right along with us to "Pink Houses", "Cherry Bomb", et al.

The next year we tried to step it up a bit with a suggestion from bassist Eric Fisher.  We decided to tackle those ever-brawling brothers from across the pond, Oasis.  We put together a solid set (which consisted entirely of songs from What's the Story Morning Glory) including "Wonderwall", "Champagne Supernova", "Roll With It" (my personal fav) and "Don't Look Back in Anger" (which I still play today occasinally during acoustic sets).  Josh Miethe made a perfect Noel Gallagher.

In 2003 we lept forward with a legendary Sublime set.  Since we were a 4 piece (and Sublime only 3) Josh rented a dalmation dog costume from Dallas & Co. and posed as "Lou Dog" for the show.  We stuck to mostly radio singles ("Wrong Way", "Santaria", "Carress Me Down", "What I Got") which perhaps disappointed hardcore fans but, as always, it's about connecting the room.  It was electric.  It did wonders for us as a local band.

The following year we kept with the west coast, herbal theme and tackled Cypress Hill.  I loved it.  It was like fantasy camp for wanna-be rappers. I shaved my beard down to just a goatee (for the first and only time ever) and dyed it black.  The energy was fantastic - we ripped through classics like "Hits From the Bong", "Rock Superstar" and "When the Shit Goes Down" - closing with "Insane in the Brain". 

The 2005 Cover Up was pushed to January of 2006 - that year I was asked by local DJ Kosmo if we would back him up on the closing number of a Public Enemy set.  I suggested that we do the entire set together under the condition that I get to be Flava Flav.   We also recruited local great (and my long-time best bud and collaborator) Brandon T. Washington to fill the roll of the militant Chuck D.  Along with DJ Bozak (as Terminator X) we blasted the over-capacity crowd with "Fight the Power", "Shut 'Em Down", "911 is a Joke" and "Can't Truss It" (among others).  I came out on stage with a bunch of bananas, a baby bottle filled with vodka, a tiny statue and my mic.  I also had a box on stage full of crazy hats, kept changing them throughout the set.  Epic.

The following year Lorenzo Goetz had plans to cover The Flaming Lips - complete with animal costumes, confetti, fake blood - the works.  Unfortunately, we broke up and this never happened.  I spent 2007 as a spectator at the Great Cover Up and was not disappointed.  I got to see Probably Vampires destroy a set as Kid Rock, Tritone rip through Judas Priest and Elsinore brought down the house as Queen.

By late 2007 I had formed (?) my one-man band, Curb Service and event organizer Ward Gollings once again invited me to play.  So in 2008 I recruited drummer Joe Funderburk to complete the duo of The White Stripes.  We mashed up "Icky Thump", "Seven Nation Army" and "Death Letter" before closing with "Doorbell" and "Fell in Love With a Girl".  The night before the show I was home, trying to force the remains of a candle out of a glass jar with a knife........the blade crashed through the glass and right into my hand, slicing my left palm.  I couldn't believe my stupidity.  I took the stage heavily bandaged that night and managed without incident.  I have never used a knife to free candle wax since.

Also that year, I was recruited by Beat Kitchen to play the roll of Reverend Run opposite Brandon T. Washington (as Run DMC).  The band was a little under-rehearsed but BTW and I didn't miss a step blasting through "King of Rock", "Mary Mary", "You Be Illin'' and "Walk This Way".  It's so fulfilling to get to play a set so close to your heart.  I've been listening to those cats since 1982.

To complete an act of true foolishness, I also agreed to help out Elsinore that year (bringing the count to THREE sets in one week) as they covered Beck.  At first, they asked me if I could provide turntable scratches and perhaps a few samples - no problem.  But soon the duties of electric guitar, backing vocals, acoustic slide guitar and percussion were added to the list, making this one of the more involved sets for me.  In the end, it went over like we all knew it would but I vowed to never be involved in more than one set per year.   This shit is exhausting.

In 2009 I finally got to bring an idea to life that I'd had for seven years - the Pulp Fiction soundtrack.  I brought in members of the now defunct local band Temple of Low Men (save Andy Lund who lives in San Diego these days selling Taylor guitars to those who can afford them) plus horn players Mike Slagor (trumpet) and Bob Dorsey (sax).  We dressed as characters from the film, reenacted scenes and played a handful of tunes including "Miserlou" (by Dick Dale), "You Never Can Tell" (by Chuck Berry), "Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon" (Niel Diamond song covered on the soundtrack by Chicago boys Urge Overkill), "Flowers on the Wall" (by the Statler Brothers) and "Jungle Boogie" (by Kool & the Gang).  Epic.  Local music enthusiast and historian Todd Hunter called it "the most inspired Cover Up set ever".

Sometime during the late summer of 2009 I spent a night out with my three best friends in the whole world - Bryan Phelps, Josh Miethe and Brandon T. Washington.  At some point in the evening we had convinced ourselves that we should cover The Beastie Boys.  These giddy late night talks soon turned into more serious ones and before we knew it, we were piecing together a mashup medley that was designed to dazzle.  Bryan played the role of Mix Master Mike manning the turntables and handling hyping & percussion duties.  Brandon was Mike D by default (the only one of us who can play drums), Josh gladly took the role of his favorite Beastie, MCA - and I played the original nasal kid, the King Ad Rock.  As the big day approached we grew more and more excited - once again, this is an act that is VERY dear to me.  I bought their 1987 album License to Ill SEVEN times as a youth.  SEVEN.  We bounced on stage and gave it everything we had, opening with "Sure Shot" then going into a medley of "Root Down", "Shake Your Rump", "So Whatcha Want" and "Intergalactic".  Then we picked up our instruments and blazed through "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" and "Sabotage".  Pfew.  

Immediately after this set, Mike Ingram closed out the night by covering Lorenzo Goetz.  So strange and wonderful to watch and hear your own work. 

So, that brings us to 2011.  Ten years after my first appearance at The Great Cover Up and the events TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY.  Best believe I'm gonna go big and brave.  

See you January 16th @ The Highdive.  Here's the schedule.....

SUNDAY 1/16
Mike Ingram (12:35-1:00am)
CURB SERVICE (11:55-12:20pm)
Brother Embassy (11:20-11:40pm)
Kilborn Alley (10:45-11:05pm)
Lonely Trailer (10:10-10:30pm)
Amy Mitchell (9:35-9:55pm)
Scathe (9:00-9:20pm)

TUESDAY 1/18
Roberta Sparrow (12:35-1:00am)
Withershins (11:55-12:20pm)
The Fresh Kills (11:20-11:40pm)
Tractor Kings (10:45-11:05pm)
Scurvine (10:10-10:30pm)
Vanattica (9:35-9:55pm)
Withnail (9:00-9:20pm)

THURSDAY 1/20
Kayla Brown w/ The Dirty Feathers (12:35-1:00am)
Stan & Vivian from Santah (11:55-12:20pm)
Hot Cops (11:20-11:40pm)
Jet W. Lee (10:45-11:05pm)
The Sugar Prophets (10:10-10:30pm)
To Be Announced (9:35-9:55pm)
Hathaways (9:00-9:20pm)